Printing mechanism



June 3, 1941. YOUNGS 2,244,592

PRINTING MECHANISM Filed July-16,1940. 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 3, 1941. YQUNGS 2,244,592

PRINTING MECHANISM I Filed July 16, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 3, 1941 when onetime Mechanism Aniline hi. ifo Trcnton,- N. .17., ossignor to ii'h hn C 0! N. 31., Trenton, N. J., n corporation oil New Joy hpphcoiion Ii 18, 1946?, Serial No. $415,848

This invention relotes to new and nceiul improvements in prin lwww e perticulorly to mecho for succeocielp prln o series of continuously poi. orticlec. More specifically the invention is concerned with mwh m cm for printing prophylactic orticleo oi '1 rubber is o continuohon-in-port oi co-penol inp application Serial No. 285,018, filed Meech 30,

The princlpol object of the invention in to provicie o novel cocci for lecihly onli oiotctlv nonozl met-inc whereby the thin rnhher whole is expended. to e desired uiometer heioi'e com inn in coni'oct with the printlnn pinto, thereon insuring e cleon out preooioh when oE-ticle oeeui'neo ito nornrnl oinmeter.

h etiil ifutthei" object oi the invention in to provide o ineeim oi the ohoeoctor oeociihecl mi ion prevent the or'tlcleo from Ll niechonlom when it is not to them llhece one other objects one ieotuieo oi the in vention ont'i voziouo ieotureo one eletoiin of no ooneteuetion one. opei'otion' ore herehooiler iull oet'iorthonel shown in the accompanying droveinns; in which;

Figure l lo semi-moor operative of on nrticle tee cinteol thereniththe printing mechonlom oi the'preoent invention;

in n oiiie eectionol elevotlon oi the printlnnyneohon tehen on line il filn ihtneii;

nejil ovientin iront elevotion oi the mechnninn chown in Fl 2;

il loin'e e in to view in section tohen on line o-e. Figure 2; one

Well in View in section tohenon line ll-li Figure 2., .l eeeino now to the drcwlncc, ihlcure l illustrottn one term oi opporatus in conictlon with which on he employed the priniino ec oi the present invention. This porticulor rotun lo more plcly own-ohm cleocri 1 in the copenoline' application hereino'oove repporotno inc-Wino iournnleo upon the pivoteliymouuteoepmme ii ferred to and reference numeral l designates, generally, an endless conveyor oi the articulate linh type comprising a, series of poles of links 2 pivotolly connected by pins 3 interposed between said links for engagement with the teeth of sprocket wheels i and ii on which soicl conveyor is corried. Movement of the conveyor is continuous in the direction of the arrows and driving power is oppliecl to the sprocket ll irom e motor h as shown. .A series, 0i bars l ole secured. tronsvereely ht intervals clone the conveyor and pivotolly connected to opposite ends oi each of these croee here i by moons of spindle for swinging me inn. plane perpendiculoi to the plane oi trcvel oi oeicl conveyor is o moncirel or-lihe supp rt fled l ted uenerolly hi 9 odepteti to receive thereon 'ruhhee prophylnctic oeticles. Zlheee menurelo h comprise an hoop portion ii of cuitclole moterlol such no motel one o hose or huh portion ii of ham runner, micorto .Bcheiite or the The shape of the meln hooly portion ill oi the incl coniormo onhntontinlly to thot oi flhe her ori-icle to he painted upon hut is oi criiometee end lenoththon the normal oinnietei' ontl length of the cold rubberorticles no thot the letter ore supported thereon in n rein tsiveiy otretcheol condition. These monclrels ore. described ct length in (impending opplicotion Semi No, 320,633, filed Feory i242, i940. As ohotvn in Figure 2, the h port-ion ii of the tirelis to relatively thich sleeve end is hp meono of suiteble boll hearing structure so no to permit rototion oi the monclrels freely about cold opln clleo. Thus the nicnclrelc including their holly iii and base portions More iree to rotote chout the spindles ll one cat the some time by virtue of the pivotal connection oi sold spindles with the conveyor i ore movohle in o plone perpenoiouloi' to the plane of ti'ovel oi the letter. The drelo ll ore supported in the desired onculor position later-oily of the conveyor l by me oi trocho or niicles l2 clicpoeecl ct either chic thereoi one in contoct with the hub portion ll oi cold o- -mirels, so that the letter roll therenlono o rotote ohout their spindles ii as they one oovonceu he the eciti conveyor [1,

New in operotlon end use of the apparatus shown-in Fe 1 of the drawings, the thin rubher iclec. ore placed upon the mnnorels ii at the ,asol loo stotion, after which they travel in the direction oi the orrows obout the t'wheel h, and then poss through to liquid.

B. mom. the test both trevel oi the ortlcles continues in the some direction about the struction and operation, a description of one,

of them is all that is necessary, and from this point on the description of the invention, its construction and operation will deal, for the most part, with only one of these mechanisms, except where necessity requires otherwise.

Accordingly, and referring to Figure 3 of the drawings, it will be. seen that the previously mentioned mandrel tracks l2 are omitted or interrupted at the printing station, and that during passage through the printing mechanism, the mandrels 9 are supported by a leather covered auxiliary track portion I3 which is vertically adjustable as desired by means ofscrews or the like I4 carried by brackets I5 secured to and extending laterally from angle rails I 6 which underlie and support the conveyor I through its cross bars I during the greater extent of the lower course of travel of said conveyor. In order to preventwabbling of the conveyor and mandrels during passage thereof through the printing mechanism, the cross bars I of the conveyor l are held firmly upon the rails I8 by members II which are suspended from the main frame structure I8 and vertically adjustable in order that their pressure uponv said bars i may be regulated.

Mounted transversely of the apparatus is a printing mechanism drive shaft 20. This shaft 20 is journaled in bearings 2| an has secured thereon a sprocket wheel 22 which is rotatably driven by the conveyor I through engagement of the pins 3 thereof with the teeth of said wheel 22. Also secured on the drive shaft 20 is a smaller sprocket wheel 23, and through a chain 24 this sprocket 23 drives another sprocket wheel 25 secured on a shaft 26 which is rotatably journaled above and parallel to the said drive shaft 20,

Secured on this shaft 26 is a pulley 2''! for driving a belt 28 which is passed about said pulley 21 and also two idler pulleys 23 rotatably mounted upon stud shafts 30 and positioned so that the belt 28 thereon engages downwardly upon the base portions II of the mandrels 3 so as to rotate the latter during their passage this is periodically actuated to rotate the said shaft 33 in a counterclockwise direction (reference being had to Figure 3) by means of a pawl 38 which is pivotally carried by a collar 39 journaled on the shaft 33 and operated by a link 40 driven from an eccentric crank 4I secured on a shaft 42. The other or inner end of this shaft 42 carries a gear 43, and this gear 43 meshes with'a gear 44 on the main driving shaft 20.

The shaft 42 is thus driven from the main shaft 20 in timed relation therewith, and hence in timed relation with the travel of the conveyor I and the ratios of the various driving connections between the conveyor I, the main shaft 20 and the shaft 42 are such that the pawl 33 actuates the ratchet 3'! and the shaft 33 so that the printing pads 36 on the hexagonal faces of the printing roll 32 are successively brought into upwardly facing printing. position as each succeeding mandrel 9 with its article passes the printing point.

A roll 45 for applying ink to the several printj adjustably mounted arm 53 for supporting a weight 54 that may be moved therealong to regulate the pressure of the roll against the inking roll 45. Ink may be applied to the roll 53 either manually or from a fountain or like supply as desired.

When it is desired not to print any matter upon the articles carried by the mandrels 9, the

latter may be caused to pass through the printing mechanism without contacting the printing roll 32, for example, by providing a bracket 55 having thereon a traction surface 56, and arranging the said bracket so that it can be elevated, thus causing the surface 56 to engage the hub p01 in II of said mandrels 3, thus likewise raising the latter. This bracket 55 is biased downwardly upon a wedge-shaped lever 51 by a spring 54, and hence elevation of said bracket and the mandrels 8 may be effected by manually moving said wegige-shaped lever 51 further beneath the bracket From the foregoing description, it will be observed that the present invention provides a novel mechanism for applying printing upon a continuously moving succession of articles and,

. in the particular adaptation of the invention ilwith the printing roll or platen 32 with enough 3 a drive shaft :3 rotatably iournaled in bearings 34 and 35.. This printing roll or platen 32 is polygonal in shape, thus providing aseries of flat peripheral surfaces upon each of which is secured a printing pad 35. The printing roll shaft 33 has secured thereon a ratchet 3 1, and

such a printing mechanism has been herein illustrated and described, it is not intended that the invention be limited to such disclosure, but that changes and modifications may be embodied and incorporated therein within the scope of the annexed claims. I

I claim:

1. In article handling apparatus comprising conveyor means for advancing a series of articles and means for driving said conveyor in one direction along a predetermined path of travel, a shaft mounted for rotation with its axis perpendicular to the path of travel of the conveyor, a printing member fixed on said shaft adjacent said conveyor and having a series of printing surfaces thereon for engagement by the articles ad-v vanced by the conveyor, a ratchet secured on the shaft, a collar rotatable on said shaft, a pawl pivotally carried by said collar and arranged in conveyor means for advancing a series of article I supporting elements and means for driving said cooperative relation to said ratchet, a drive shaft driven from said conveyor drive means, a stud shaft, means for driving said stud shaft from the drive shaft in predetermined timed relation with respect to the latter and the travel of the conveyor, an eccentric crank carried by said stud shaft, and a link connecting said eccentric crank and the collar operable to actuate the latter and the pawl thereby periodically to actuate the ratchet and its shaft to present the printing sura collar rotatable on said shaft, a pawl pivotally carried by said collar and arranged in cooperative relation to said ratchet, a drive shaft driven from.

said conveyor drive means, a stud shaft, means for driving said stud shaft from the drive shaft in predetermined timed relation with respect to the latter and the travel of the conveyor-,and means driven by said stud shaft operable to actuate the pawl thereby periodically to actuate the ratchet and its shaft to present the printing surfaces on the printing member successively to the articles advanced by said conveyor.

, 3. In article handling apparatus comprising conveyor means for advancing a series of article supporting elements and means for driving said conveyor in one direction along a predetermined conveyor in one direction along a predetermined path of travel, a track section for supporting said elements during at least a portion of their travel, a shaft mounted for rotation with its axis perpendicular to said track section, a printing member fixed on said shaft adjacent the track section and having a series of printing surfaces thereon for engagement by the articles traversing said track section, a ratchet secured on the shaft, a collar rotatable on said shaft, a pawl pivotally carried by said collar, 9. drive shaft driven from said con veyor drive means, a stud shaft, means for driving said stud shaft from the drive shaft in predetermined timed relation with. respect to the latter and the travel of the conveyor, and means driven by said stud shaft operable to actuate the pawl thereby periodically to actuate the ratchet and its shaft to present the printing surfaces on the printing member successively to the articles traversing the track section.

5. In article handling apparatus comprising conveyor means for advancing a series of rotatably mounted article supporting elements and means for driving said conveyor in one direction along a predetermined path of travel, a track section for supporting said elements during at least a portion of their travel, a shaft mounted forrotation with its axis perpendicular to said track section, a printing member fixed on said shaft adjacent the track section and having a series of printing surfaces thereon for engagement by the articles traversing said track sec tion, a ratchet secured on the shaft, a collar rotatable on said shaft, a pawl pivotally carried by said collar, a drive shaft driven from said conveyor drive means, a stud shaft, means for driving said stud shaft from the drive shaft "in predetermined timed relation with respect to the latter and the travel of the conveyor, an eccentric crank carried by said stud shaft, a link connecting said eccentric crank and the collar operable to actuate the latter and the pawl thereby periodically to actuate the ratchet and its shaft to present the printing surfaces on the printing member successively to the articles traversing the track section, another shaft driven from said path of travel, a track section for supporting said elements during at least a portion of their travel, a shaft mounted for rotation with its axis perpendicular to said track section, a printing memsection for supporting said elements during atleast a portion of their travel, a shaft mounted said conveyor drive means, a stud shaft, means for driving said stud shaft from the drive shaft in predetermined timed relation with respect to the latter and the travel of the conveyor, an eccentric crank carried by said stud shaft, and a link connecting said eccentric crank and the collar operable to actuate the latter and the pawl thereby periodically to actuate the ratchet and its shaft to present the printing surfaces on the printing member successively to the articles traversing the track section.

4. In article handling apparatus comprising 75 for rotation with its axis perpendicular to said track section, a printing member fixed on said shaft adjacent the track. section and having a series of printing surfaces thereon for engagement by the articles traversing said track section, a ratchet secured on the shaft, a collar rotatable on said shaft, a pawl pivotally carried by said collar, a drive shaft driven from said conveyor drive means, a stud shaft, means for drivings'aid stud shaft from the drive shaft in predetermined timed relation with respect to the latter and the travel of the conveyor, and means driven by said stud shaft operable to actuate the pawl thereby periodically to actuate the ratchet and its shaft to present the printing surfaces on the printing member successively to the articles traversing the track section, another shaft driven from said drive shaft, a pulley rotatable with said other shaft, and a belt driven by said pulley and'operable to engage and effect positive rotation of the article supporting elements during travel upon said track section adjacent said printing member.

'7. In article handling apparatus comprising conveyor means for advancing a series of rotatably mounted article supporting elements and means for driving said conveyor in one direction along a predetermined path of travel, a track section for supporting said elements during at least a portion of their travel, said track having a recessed portion, a shaft mounted for rotation with its axis perpendicular to said track section, a printing member fixed on said shaft adjacent the recessed portion of the track section and having a series of printing surfaces thereon for engagement by the articles traversing said track section, a ratchet secured on the shaft, a collar rotatable on said shaft, a pawl pivotally carried by said collar, a drive shaft driven from said conveyor drive means, a stud shaft, means for driving said stud shaft from the drive shaft in predetermined timed relation with respect to the latter and the travel of the conveyor, an eccentric crank carried by said stud shaft, a link connecting said eccentric crank and the collar operable to actuate the latter and the pawl thereby periodically to actuate the ratchet and itsshaft to present the printing surfaces on the print member successively to the articles traversing the recessed portion of the track section, another shaft driven from said drive shaft, a pulley r0- tatable with said other shaft, and a belt'driven by said pulley and operable to engage and effect positiverotation of the article supporting elements during travel upon said track section adjacent said printing member.

ARTHUR M. YOUNGS. 

